Thursday includes the main event of the festival - the coveted Gold Cup race.

Order of St George, rode by Ryan Moore, won last year's Gold Cup and is the favourite to be first past the post again this time around.

Ascot attracts many of the worlds best racehorses, who will compete for more than £6.5 million in prize money.

Expect plenty of fancy hats, champagne and cocktails for the 300,000 expected visitors going to Berkshire throughout the week.

Below we've got everything you'll need to know about getting tickets, getting to the racecourse, tips for the races and what you should wear.

When is Royal Ascot?

The racing starts on Tuesday June 20 and concludes on Saturday June 24.

The Queen regularly attends Royal Ascot alongside other royals, including Prince Phillip.

Where are the races?

The five day event, from the 20th to 24th June 2017, takes place at Ascot in Berkshire, England, and features six world-class races, the finest fashion and plenty of smoozing. Not to mention an appearance from The Queen.

The Ascot Racecourse is located in the pretty Berkshire countryside, not far from Windsor Great Park.

How much are tickets?

Although you will be able to catch all the action live on TV, if you do long to experience the races it isn't too late to pick up tickets.

How can I get there?

The Royal Ascot Express is available for all those travelling from or through the capital.

Ryan Moore won the Coventry Stakes in front of a packed grandstand on day one of Royal Ascot 2016 (Image: PA)

Rail: There's easy access to the course via regular trains from London Waterloo, Guilford and Reading via South West trains. You can book your rail tickets ahead of time via Trainline.com or Raileasy.co.uk .

Car: The M4 and M3 offer direct routes towards Windsor via the A332 Windsor by-pass. On site car parking can be pre-booked here and will cost from £30.

Coach:National Express are running select services to and from Ascot throughout the five day festival. You can check prices and availability here .

Where can I watch it?

If you are not able to get tickets to the event, it will be screened on terrestrial TV.

ITV Racing is showing all the main British horse racing events live this year.

Ascot enclosures

(Image: PA Wire)

The Ascot Races isn't just a great opportunity to watch some first class horse-racing, but also the chance to socialise and enjoy the spectacle of the age-old tradition.

There are three main enclosures within the grounds including the Queen Ann and Windsor enclosures which are open to the public. There's an opportunity for racegoers to pre-order a picnic to enjoy with friends whilst you're there to - you can find more details on packages here .

(Image: PA)

Tuesday will see the start of group one races, including the Queen Ann Stake (named after its founder).

On Wednesday attendees will get to enjoy a slightly more relaxed atmosphere as the Prince of Wales Stakes gets underway.

The historic and prestigious Gold Cup will take place on Thursday, and it is also a chance to see everybody decked out in their finest dresses and hats.

Friday will welcome a traditional set of races including the Coronation stakes.

The finale on Saturday when the Diamond Jubilee stakes will take place is considered the one of the world's greatest sprint races